LAS VEGAS (KSNV MyNews3.com) — Who isn’t seduced by the idea of making a little extra money on the side by working from home? In this Rip-Off Alert from Arkansas, the ads promising good and easy money for simply stuffing envelopes may not be legit.

This work-at-home opportunity claimed — for a $150 fee up front — employees could make thousands.

“They could work from home and get paid $10 for every envelope they stuffed,” said U.S. Postal Inspector Stephanie Barrett. “So, the victims would receive 200 envelopes thinking they are going to earn $2,000 for stuffing these envelops.”

But it was a scam.

“They are only receiving money for responses received and that is less than 1 percent,” Barrett said.

Another red flag was immediately apparent.

“One of the big misrepresentations that was left out of these letters was that people had to buy their own stamps,” Barrett said. “In the letter, it stated the stamps were paid for.”

Postal inspectors began working the case and caught the two sisters and one of their husbands behind the scheme.

“Over the eight years this scheme was run, there were about 25,000 victims totaling more than $3.5 million in loss,” Barrett said.

Inspectors ended up seizing the house and 20 acres the husband and wife lived on, which was worth more than $1 million.

Here’s some simple advice from Postal Inspector Barrett:

“Do their due diligence. Get on the Internet, Google the name of the company, Put scam behind the company. Look on the Better Business Bureau’s website and verify that this company is a legitimate company.”

Postal inspectors say after a four-day trial and just 30 minutes of deliberations, the suspects involved in the case were found guilty on all 30 counts against them. The husband and wife duo each received 12 years in prison.